Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Baked Beans

I dare say there are some rather sore heads greeting the New Year and I thought I might offer up something that seems to be cure for those seedy moments.

While this is far from a quick recipe for baked beans, the end product is well worth the time needed.

I've decided to use Flageolet for no particular reason other than I quite like them - you can naturally use the more normal haricot bean . As I'm using dried beans, they first need to be soaked overnight in an ample quantity of water to help lessen the cooking time. Once again you could take the faster route and use cooked canned beans.

Baked Beans

Flageolet beans, soaked overnight

1 onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

1 carrot, finely sliced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

rosemary sprigs

tomato paste

diced tomatoes, fresh or tinned

stock or water

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

maple syrup, optional

In a large pot heat up olive oil and a knob of butter and when the butter has melted add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Sauté gently until the mixture has softened and just started to colour.

Add in a good spoonful of tomato paste and cook this off for a few minutes before adding the drained beans. Stir well and then add the diced tomatoes, rosemary sprigs and enough stock or water to cover the beans by a good inch or two.

Let this bubble gently until the beans have softened. The time this takes will depend on the bean you use and its age. Check often to make sure there's enough water covering the beans. You just need to watch that they don't dry out.

After a couple of hours the mix will have swelled and softened and the sauce reduced to a rich deep red.

Only when the beans are completely cooked should you add salt - adding it before this time will result in hard beans.

If you like a sweeter bean then you can also stir in maple syrup to taste.

8 comments

Thank you for your lovely recipes Haalo - I have tried a few and they all work perfectly. I have often seen recipes for flageolet beans but have not seen them here in Melbourne - not even at the Vic Market where I usually go. Any suggestions - would cannellini do as a substitute? Deirdre

Thanks Deirdre - I found these beans at the Essential Ingredient at Prahran Market, I don't recall seeing them elsewhere unfortunately. Cannellini beans would be an excellent substitute - I've used them in the past and they come up a treat.

Thanks for this Haalo, I have just discovered the satisfaction of spending time making simple yet tastey baked beans. They went down a treat for the family Chrismas breakfast, made with Cannellini beans and cloves. I will have to try this recipe next.